Shirt and collar



Dec. 3, 1935.

Filed April 17, 1955 2 Sheet s-Sheet l L. SHEPHERD SHIRT AND COLLAR Dec. 3, 1935.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1955 l l l hwll w TLSAG CFZ Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE Application April 17, 1933, Serial No. 666,591 In Great Britain July 25, 1932 3 Claims.

This invention relates to means provided in shirts or collars, Whether soft or stifi, for the purpose of maintaining the collar in position without the use of the back stud, the means being adapted 5 to also keep the sides of the collar in position.

For this purpose, the neck band of the shirt is, according to this invention provided with a non-compressible ridge projecting beyond the exterior surface, and extending around either a portion of, or the greater part of, the neck band, the collar is fitted with a corresponding ridge projecting within the interior in a position which will be immediately below the ridge of the neck band when the collar is in proper position.

A collar when properly fitting on a neck band has always the tendency to slip up and not down, and thus the engagement of the said two ridges prevents the collar slipping or riding up.

These ridges are, also according to the inven- 23 tion, formed either wholly or partly of non-compressible piping or cord, preferably enclosed in a suitable covering or sheath of linen or the like fabric.

The invention will now be described with ref- 35 erence to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shirt showing the ridge applied around the neck band thereof,

Figure 2 is an inside elevation of a collar fitted with a ridge according to the invention,

Figure 3 is a back elevation of the neck band of a shirt and showing the ridge arranged thereon,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a case in which the ridge on the collar is formed as an interrupted member.

Figures 5 to 9 show vertical transverse sections of a collar and neck band in working relation one to the other in perspective, and showing the ridges in cross-section. The figures show five different cross-sections in the shapes of the interengaging ridges.

Figure 10 shows a ridge which is internally formed with a hard core,

Figures 11 and 12 show a plan view and a side View respectively of the manner in which the end of a piping cord is splayed 01f at the end.

In carrying the invention into effect and referring by way of example more particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the ridge generally denoted by a on the neck band 1) consists of a non-compressible piping or cord preferably enclosed within a suitable covering or sheath d of linen or the like fabric as indicated more clearly in Figure 5, and such sheath may be made from extensible or stretchable material. The ridge is as stated made of non-compressible material such as celluloid, metal, bakelite, xylonite and other material which is flexible so as to bend but non-compressible in cross-section.

Such a sheath dis secured as shown to the neck band by stitching as at e and there is similarly secured to the collar to form a similar ridge (1, a similar piping or cord g which is also enclosed in a sheath of linen or other fabric h, the

latter being secured as by stitching and shown at R.

It will be seen that the ridges, either enclosed in a sheath or not, are thus attached on opposite sides so that a firm locking action is produced, and their adjacent edges will thus be permitted a certain freedom of movement so that they may roll or move relatively to one another.

The collar illustrated in the drawings by way of example, is of the double or turn down kind and it will be noted that the ridge a formed on 0 the collar, will be preferably of smaller size as in the manner shown, than that of a which is secured to the neck band of the shirt. By way of example it may be stated that the ridge on the neck band may be in diameter whilst that on the collar may be 5/64". In this Way, aswill be seen from Figure 5, the ridge formed on the collar will be able to engage well under the ridge secured to the neck band, as it is adapted to fold in under the curve of the ridge where it folds back to the neck band. A firm lodgment is thus afforded to securely hold the collar in position so that it can never work loose, this holding effect being further ensured by the curve of the collar as it passes round or fits round the curve of the neck band.

When a ridge is formed as hereinafter specified of non-compressible material, it will have no tendency to become permanently flattened by any laundering action, but will retain its form in spite of repeated washings and ironings of the shirt and the collar. The ridge may be applied equally well to collars and neck bands whether they are soft or stiff, or single or double.

Usually the ridge, and the piping cord which it contains, will be of circular cross-section, but other suitable shapes may be substituted or used. Thus in Figure 6 the resilient piping cords Z and m respectively are made of somewhat square section, but the two sides which come into mutual looking engagement are sloped as at n to represent or to resemble, a dove-tailed or undercut form so that the two parts will be held in firmer engagement.

Figure 7 shows the two resilient cords o and p respectively as being square in cross-section and of the relative sizes shown.

Figure 8 shows the resilient cords q and 1" respectively as being of somewhat oval form, whilst Figure 9 shows the resilient cords s and 1 respectively as each having a projecting rib or fillet 11. which mutually engage in the manner shown.

Whilst the cross-section of the two respective cords will be usually the same shape on the collar and the neck band, the cord used on the collar may however be different in shape from that as used on the neck band.

Upon or around the non-compressible ridge there is woven or otherw se applied a sheath or covering of linen, cotton, silk or the like, to enclose the bundle of threads so as to maintain them in proper position.

In Figure 10 is shown a rubber or similarly resilient cord, but it is of hollow or tubular form as shown at 23, and is moulded around or slipped over a comparatively hard core 24 which is formed of a suitable flexible material which will not interfere with the bending of the collar or the neck band respectively. Thus for example, such a core might be made of celluloid, metal, bakelite, xylonite or other suitable or similar substances, or alternatively the whole ridge may be made of such relatively hard substances, and preferably enclosed in a fabric sheath.

By making the cord in the form of a rubber or other resilient sleeve 23, resilient effect is obtained and the ridge will not become distorted or deformed in shape during use or laundering.

It is to be observed that the ridge as secured upon the neck band is arranged thereon at about halfway of the height thereof, and in regard to the collar, the ridge is secured somewhat near to the lower edge. These relative positions of the two ridges are not necessarily confined to the positions shown, and other positions may be adopted as found desirable in practice.

In order that the ends of the ridges may not be left as projecting shoulders, they are preferably left with pointed ends 25, the vertical faces of such end portions being splayed as at 2E.

By such arrangement the ends of the ridges will present a neat and smooth appearance which will not interfere with the wear of the garment. Although preferably the two ridges described are formed as of continuous length, they may however be divided up into two or more sections as found convenient, and in Figure 4 the collar for example is shown with a ridge made up of three portions 27. The ridge on the collar band may be of a similarly interrupted form or it may be continuous, and instead of either ridge being of the length shown in Figure 1, it may be confined to a portion some two inches long.

By making the ridge members in the various ways described, the collar is yieldingly held in position both at the back and the sides. Moreover, owing to the non-compressibility of the ridge, when the collar or the neck band is being laundered, no change will result in the properties of the ridges such as might occur if the ridges were wholly composed of mere fabric.

If and when desired the stitching used to attach the ridges in position may be effected by means of elastic thread.

The ridge need not always be permanently secured to either the collar or the neck band. If and when desired the ridge may be easily detachable, for which purpose it may be held in position by tapes, pockets, loops and the like secured to the collar and neck band respectively.

When desired, the ridge member may be inserted bodily between the folds of the material forming the collar or the neck band as the case may be.

By the foregoing arrangement the collar is elastically or resiliently supported all round the neck band and constitutes as it were a flexible resilient frame holding the neck band and the collar away from the neck and giving freedom to the throat. Moreover, as it is not necessary to use any back stud for the attachment of the collar, not only will greater freedom be secured to the wearer of the collar but more comfort will be afforded.

I claim:

1. An improved device for enabling detachable collars to be worn with shirts comprising a pair of ridge-like bands of non-compressible material, secured upon the collar and the neck band of the shirt respectively, so as to engage longitudinally with one another and thus to secure the collar in position in which both of the ridge-like bands are attached to the collar along their relatively remote edges only and the neck band respectively, so that their adjacent edges engage one another and are at the same time free to roll upon or move relatively to one another and maintain mutual engagement, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the ridge formed on the collar is somewhat smaller in cross-section than that on the neck band.

3. An improved device for enabling detachable collars to be worn with shirts comprising a pair of I ridge-like bands of non-compressible material, and which are not adversely aifected by washing, ironing or laundering operations and are sesured one upon the collar and the other upon the neck band of the shirt so as to engage each other and in which the ridge band comprises a resilient tube surrounding a hard core.

THOMAS LEWIS SHEPHERD. 

